The present disclosure relates to a portable automated peening apparatus for automatically peening steam turbine bucket tenons and a method for automated peening steam turbine bucket tenons.
In the construction of turbines, for example, steam turbines, cover plates are employed for a variety of reasons and are generally secured to the tips of the turbine buckets by peening tenons formed on the buckets or the cover plates. As used herein the term peen refers to the end of a hammerhead such as a spherical or flat striking surface, often wedge-shaped or ball-shaped and used for chipping, indenting. Radial peening is oftentimes used in certain bucket constructions. Not only is the riveting operation loud but there is substantial variation from tenon to tenon based on operator action. It should be appreciated that the terms peening and riveting are interchangeably used herein. While certain automated peening tools, including reciprocating, orbital and radial tools are available; no currently available portable automated peening apparatus automatically peens a tenon as well as a tenon peened by a manual operation. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a portable automated machine and methods for peening tenons for securing cover plates and adjacent bucket tips of a turbine wheel to one another.